The hills are alive in Lowville with The Sound of Music

LOWVILLE  Penny S. Jay is taking the sound in The Sound of Music very seriously.

A few weeks ago, she took the 35 nuns in the Lowville Academy and Central School production to St. Peters Catholic Church in Lowville, where a recording was made to use at the beginning of The Sound of Music production set for tonight, Friday and Saturday in the high school auditorium.

Its because of the acoustics, said Mrs. Jay, music department chairwoman. Its the kind of sound I wanted and its the experience of going to a church, singing and hearing how they sound at another venue.

Most of the storied venue for The Sound of Music is the Austrian Alps. Millions today know that the show, which won the 1960 Tony Award for best musical, tells the story of maverick postulant Maria, played in the Lowville production by 10th-grader Elizabeth G. Kelly. Marias future as a nun ends when she becomes governess to the seven children of icy Austrian widower Capt. Georg von Trapp. Maria wins the hearts of her charges to the tunes of hits such as Do-Re-Mi and My Favorite Things and takes the spiritual advice of Mother Abbess to Climb Every Mountain on her way to falling in love with and marrying the captain.

The musical was the final collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Its book is by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

Mrs. Jay is a fan of such Broadway classics: Last year, she staged Annie.

I feel the kids need the basics, she said. They can learn a lot by doing the basic Broadway-type musicals. When they go to further themselves at a college level, they can take the experience with them.

Mrs. Jay posted tryout notices for the roles of the seven von Trapp children and was flooded with entries.

In all, 111 elementary/middle school students tried out for five of the roles because she wanted five of the seven children to be students from those grades. We ended up with four elementary and three high school students because of the size of the kids, she said.

Elizabeth (Maria), said that one of the things she enjoys about the show is that it attracts audiences of all ages.

I like how its family-based, she said. Basically, anyone can watch it. I like the music from it, probably because I grew up with it.

Most of the von Trapp children are enjoying their first stage production and gaining theatrical experience.

I like having fun with other members of the family during rehearsals, said fourth-grader Aidan D. Macaulay. I like the challenge of the songs; not only knowing what to sing, and what you have to say, but knowing what you are supposed to be doing and where youre supposed to be.

Fifth-grader Rachel N. Van Buren plays Brigitta von Trapp.

Shes not bratty, but she comments on a lot of things, Rachel said about her character.

Rachel hopes to continue performing for school productions.

I like being around people and learning new things to make me perform better, she said. I probably wont do it as a career, but Im hoping to do it in high school and stuff.

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The cast list of The Sound of Music at Lowville Academy and Central School:

the detailsWHAT: The Sound of Music, presented by Lowville Academy and Central School students.WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday at the high school auditorium, 7668 N. State St.COST: $6.50 for adults and $5.50 for students and senior citizens.OF NOTE: There will be a meet and greet party in the high school gym following the Friday night performance. Pre-sale tickets are available in the high school office.

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